


Psych 101

by Summerwolf



Series: Whumptober 2020 [11]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: ALMOST Character Death, Fire, Gen, Guilty Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Blames Himself, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Sad Peter Parker, Scared Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Trapped in a Burning Building, it's not his fault
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26954017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Summerwolf/pseuds/Summerwolf
Summary: Whumptober day 11 - Struggling, Crying.---"Please!" Peter screamed, his voice cracking at least three times from the panic and the smoke inhalation. "My dad is in there!" He didn't even notice the slip of his tongue, too focused on trying to get away, trying to get back to save Tony."I'm sorry," the firefighter muttered, actually sounding pretty regretful even as he didn't release his grip on Peter. "It's not safe for you. Please, just stop struggling and I can get you to an ambulance and go back for your dad."
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Whumptober 2020 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946926
Comments: 4
Kudos: 118
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Psych 101

Peter hummed quietly to himself as he walked out the elevator, a large grin splitting his face which only grew when he saw Tony hunched over his work bench, a welding iron held tightly in his hands. Peter knew better than to startle him when he was welding a blow torch, so quietly walked over to his own bench to continue his tinkling.

The room was silent for a long time, only broken by the quiet whoosh of the blowtorch and Peter could feel a warmth of belonging settling in his chest as it always did when he was here. It was a home away from home, and Peter was so thankful he was allowed to be here.

"Oh! Hey kid! I didn't see you walk in," Tony said, stripping his gloves off and pulling off the mask. "Have you been here long?"

"Not really," Peter shrugged, carefully placing the screwdriver he'd been using back on his desk, "I just used the time to loosen these screws I've been needing to sort."

"Okay. Come on then," Tony smiled, standing up and waving a hand to tell Peter to follow him, "I promised I'd take you bowling, and I'm going to keep that promise."

It had been about three weeks ago when Peter had told Tony that he hadn't been bowling since Ben was still alive. Apparently that was unacceptable, and Tony had promised as soon as he could he would take him bowling. And as luck would have it, they were both free this weekend and Tony had not forgotten his word.

Peter hopped to his feet, excitement filling him as he hurried after Tony and tried not to bounce with excitement. He remembered how much he loved bowling when he was younger, and even though it had been ages, he knew this would be just as awesome.

There was also something else, something which made him so excited about this trip. He used to go bowling with Ben on a monthly basis, it was their bonding time, the time they spent together away from the busyness of life, and just enjoyed the fact they were related. Back then Peter had thought it was the coolest thing ever. It was their special thing.

And then Ben died, and Peter's heart broke and he'd thought everything was over. And even though no one would even replace Ben, he had Tony in his life now.

And it just felt so right. To be going bowling with his new father figure.

\---

"TONY!" Peter screamed, panic and pain dancing through his voice as string arms grabbed him around the waist. He had no idea how their lovely day out had gone this downhill so quickly, but here he was, being dragged out the burning bowling alley, cries of whether it was structurally sound and other yells of people missing family members surrounding him and drowning out his croaky voice.

He struggled against the firefighter who was holding him, desperately trying to get back to where he had last seen Tony, trapped under a fallen beam. Normally he would be certain that the Avenger would be able to look after himself, but he was caught if guard this time, distracted by Peter's stupid antics for long enough that by the time the fire started spreading and they started trying to escape, it was too late.

"Please!" Peter screamed, his voice cracking at least three times from the panic and the smoke inhalation. "My dad is in there!" He didn't even notice the slip of his tongue, too focused on trying to get away, trying to get back to save Tony.

"I'm sorry," the firefighter muttered, actually sounding pretty regretful even as he didn't release his grip on Peter. "It's not safe for you. Please, just stop struggling and I can get you to an ambulance and go back for your dad."

That was all it took. Peter instantly stopped fighting, practically falling over himself as he desperately tried to go where the firefighter needed him to go.

He was deposited at an ambulance, and the paramedics started looking him over, asking Peter questions that he only half listened to, his gaze glued onto the entrance as he waited, hoping that Tony would be the next one out.

Guilt was pressing heavily on his chest, reminding him with every breath that this was his fault. If he'd just kept his mouth shut about the bowling then Tony would be fine right now. Maybe they would be having a movie night, or working in the labs, or maybe they would be doing separate things in different places, but the point would remain that Tony would be fine and safe and not trapped inside a burning building, his suit sitting uselessly at home, while Peter sat in an ambulance being even more useless than the suit.

Fat tears started rolling down his face, only getting heavier the longer passed with no sign of Tony. The entire building groaned, starting to become unstable enough that the firefighters would have to get out as soon as they could, and yet Tony still wasn't there, Tony was still in the building and it was still all Peter's fault.

A million things he could have done differently, a million other outcomes that could have been, and yet this was the one which Peter caused. This is the reality Peter had to live through.

And… maybe this was the reality Tony had to die in.

Even the thought of Tony dying seemed impossible. He was so present, his personality larger than life, his impact on the world forever, that it was easy for Peter to forget that he wasn't forever, and one day he would wither away.

One day.

That didn't mean it was supposed to be today.

A commotion just inside the entrance drew his attention, three firefighters running out with a victim each over their shoulders, just managing to get clear before the building collapsed behind them.

Peter didn't know if that was everyone out of the building, didn't know if there were still some people trapped inside, but in that moment all he cared about was whether Tony was in there, and whether Tony was safe.

The firefighter from before staggered over to the ambulance Peter was in, waving away the paramedics who tried to chase Peter out of the way and gently placing his person on the bed.

It was Tony, covered in soot and burns and blood, wheezing with every breath and with a bit of a dazed look in his eyes, but completely alive and there and not trapped in a collapsed building to burn alive.

"Kid?" Tiny asked weakly, the paramedics instantly trying to convince him not to talk. Peter shuffled until he was next to Tony's head, staring down into his eyes and watching as his eyes cleared just slightly, a weak smile spreading across his face. "You're safe."

"So are you," Peter whispered back, grabbing his least injured hand and clinging onto it tightly, "you're safe."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!  
> I hope you enjoyed!!


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